Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library & Museum

05/30/2026

Join us on June 11 for the presentation of the annual Trustees awards followed by a concert.
J.R. Greene served as President of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum Standing Committee for many years. Always very generous with his historical knowledge of Coolidge, he was a steadfast presence for the committee and champion for the importance of the collection and the museum.

While serving as a Trustee of Forbes Library, Debin Bruce worked tirelessly to advocate and support the needs of the library so that it could best serve the community. Among her accomplishments was chairing the Building and Grounds Committee where she worked tirelessly to bring the library’s long standing dream of a performance stage on the library’s grounds to a reality.

05/21/2026

Boston Beans and Paul Pry on the White House lawn.

Bulldog Boston Beans did not get along well with Collie Rob Roy and was became the companion to Mrs. Coolidge's mother, Lemira Goodhue, residing at the Coolidge home in Northampton, Massachusetts. Airedale Paul Pry was curious and get into mischief often at the White House and would be sent to the Marines for training and then resided at the Navy Yard.
Check The Vintage Airedale for more photos and info on Paul Pry, his half brother Laddie Boy (President Harding), Theodore Roosevelt or Wilson family pets.

Boston Beans with Paul Pry
Boston Beans didn't get along well with Collie Rob Roy and left the White House to reside with Mrs. Coolidge's mother, Lemira Goodhue at the Coolidge home in Northampton, Massachusetts.

05/12/2026

Today is National Limerick Day!
Do you have a Coolidge inspired Limerick to share?
Here's one to get you inspired!
First Dog Rob Roy
Was a handsome Boy
Immortalized on canvas
Remembered for his antics
He brought Grace much joy

Photo from The White House Historical Association of a 1924 Howard Chandler Christy painting of Grace Coolidge in a red dress with her white collie Rob Roy beside her and the White House in the background. This painting is in the China Room at the White House.

05/12/2026

We were happy to have the Northampton Rotary Foundation at the Coolidge Museum today for their semi monthly meeting! The group enjoyed learning about Calvin Coolidge, the history of the Coolidge Museum and our future plans.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day!

Family photo of Calvin, Calvin, Jr., John and Grace Coolidge, July 1920.

Grace lost Calvin, Jr. at age 16 to blood poisoning in 1924. In honor of anyone struggling today without a mother or child to hug, may you find comfort in this poem Grace Coolidge wrote in 1929 in memory of her son.

THE OPEN DOOR
You, my son,
Have shown me God,
Your kiss upon my cheek
Has made me feel the gentle touch
Of Him who leads us on.
The memory of your smile, when young,
Reveals His face,
As mellowing years come on apace.
And when you went before,
You left the gates of heaven ajar
That I might glimpse,
Approaching from afar,
The glories of His Grace.
Hold, son, my hand,
Guide me along the path,
That coming,
I may stumble not,
Nor roam,
Nor fail to show the way
Which leads us home.

05/07/2026

Today is National Tourism Day!
Plan a trip to visit us in Northampton, Massachusetts this year or one of the Summer White House destinations!

President Coolidge had the tradition of a different Summer White House each year to escape the heat of Washington, D.C. for a milder climate when Congress was not in session. The mail and phone calls were forwarded and staff set up an office nearby for this working vacation.

1924- Plymouth Notch Vermont. The First Family resided at the President's father's home (Vermont State Historic Sites)Vermont State Historic Sites) and an office was set up on the second floor of the village general store and post office. Secret service stayed in cabins and tents along the perimeter of the village.

1925- White Court, Swampscott, Massachusetts
This was a private home on the ocean north of Boston and was rented by the Coolidge family. An office was in nearby Lynn, Mass. The home is privately owned.

1926- White Pine Camp, Paul Smiths, NY
The Coolidge family rented this resort on a lake from friends and the Presidents spend many hours fishing there.

1927- Black Hills, South Dakota
The Coolidge family stayed at the Game Lodge at Custer State Park with office space was in the Rapid City High School.

1928- Brule, Wisconsin
The Coolidge family rented Cedar Island Lodge from the estate of Henry Clay Pierce and set up offices in the nearby high school. President Coolidge spent time fly fishing on the Brule River.

Post Presidency, Calvin and Grace Coolidge spent about 1 month in early 1930 in Florida at the Lakeside Inn, Mount Dora

Check out the places, we have tagged for more information on visiting, touring and sleeping where the President vacationed!

05/05/2026

3 seats are available on Friday's bus trip from Northampton to Hyde Park.

Three spots have opened up on our Bus Trip to Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Historic Sites!

Call the library's front desk at 413-587-1011 option 2 to snag these last minute tickets. More information below, or click here: https://forbeslibrary.libcal.com/event/16470273

Presented by the Friends of Forbes Library

Leave from Forbes Library at 9 AM and return approximately 6:30 PM. Free parking will be available during the bus trip in the library’s lot.

Tickets: $130 each includes bus trip, lunch, entry fees, and guided tours. A portion of your ticket goes to support the Friends of Forbes Library.

Lunch will be from the Uncle Sam’s Canteen at the FDR visitor’s center.

We will be taking a luxury coach bus. Entertainment will be provided on the bus.

Join us for a fascinating day of history including guided tours of the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, FDR Presidential Library and Museum, and Val-Kill, the cottage that became Eleanor Roosevelt's primary home following FDR's death in 1945.

We will leave from Forbes parking lot at 9 AM and take a luxury coach bus for the two and half hour to Hyde Park, NY where we hope to enjoy spring views along the way. Our day includes a boxed lunch to enjoy at the beautiful National Historic Site.

Photo credit: Paul Shoul

04/29/2026

From our friends at the President Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth Notch, Vermont- updates are happening in the visitors center!
A few objects from our collection are on loan and reproduction photos are featured.
Plan a Coolidge day this summer! If you are local to Northampton and have a CWMARS library card, stop by and visit us and you can check out a pass to visit Plymouth Notch for free (admits up to 8 people).

Work is in progress for updates to the permanent exhibit at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, Plymouth, VT. We can’t wait for you to see our changes and enjoy a new view of the 1923 presidential inaugural artifacts. The museum will reopen for the 2026 season on Friday, May 22. (photo of new panel and other items in process of installation).